LA Rams will conduct joint training camp sessions with Bengals 8/24

The LA Rams are going to be quite familiar with the Cincinnati Bengals by the end of August 2022. Not only did the Rams face, and defeat, the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. But the LA Rams will be conducting joint training camp sessions with the very same Bengals as the two teams prepare to face one another in the third and final preseason game to be held in Cincinnati on Saturday, August 27, 2022, at 3:00 pm PT. That game is slated to be broadcast by the NFL Network.

The Rams do not play starters in preseason games. Instead, the coaching staff believes that the same objective of fine-tuning the starters and getting everyone in synch can be accomplished through a series of joint practices and scripted scrimmages.

The LA Rams employed that strategy twice in 2021. The first time was with the Dallas Cowboys in joint practices and a scripted scrimmage. The second time was held with the Las Vegas Raiders in joint practices and a scripted scrimmage before they competed in a preseason game.

Initially, there was some negative pushback and concerns over the willingness of the Rams coaching staff to take such non-traditional measures to ensure the health and safety of their starting and key players, but by doing so the Rams get two benefits.

The first is limiting the risk of injury of key players by withholding them from the variable conditions that occur during preseason games. But the second benefit is maximizing the playing time of players who truly are on the bubble and competing for a roster spot.

Some of the information about the Rams players is at its peak during scrimmage competition. Last year, we saw clear evidence that Tremayne Anchrum and A.J. Jackson were very impressive at their respective offensive tackle roles in scrimmage play.  Later that year, Jackson was forced into an emergency start at left tackle and sailed through without incident.  Now, keep in mind that Jackson did so despite his status as an undrafted rookie signing that year.

Perhaps a new pleasant surprise will occur in joint practices this year?